---
title: Facilitating an Event Storming Session
summary: A comprehensive guide on how to run effective Event Storming workshops at FlowMart
sidebar:
    label: Facilitation Guide
    order: 2
owners: 
  - dboyne
badges:
  - content: 'Guide'
    backgroundColor: 'teal'
    textColor: 'teal'
---

# Facilitating an Event Storming Session

This guide will help you run effective Event Storming sessions at FlowMart, ensuring you get the most value from this collaborative modeling technique.

## Pre-Session Preparation

### 1. Define the Scope
- Identify the business domain or process to explore
- Set clear objectives for the session
- Determine the appropriate level (Big Picture, Process, or Design)

### 2. Invite the Right People
- Domain experts who understand the business processes
- Technical team members who will implement the solution
- Product owners and stakeholders
- Limit to 8-12 participants for optimal interaction

### 3. Prepare the Space
- Large continuous wall space or virtual whiteboard
- Sticky notes in different colors:
  - Orange: Domain Events
  - Blue: Commands
  - Yellow: Aggregates
  - Purple: Policies
  - Pink: External Systems
  - Red: Problems/Questions

## Running the Session

### 1. Introduction (15 minutes)
- Explain Event Storming concepts and notation
- Set ground rules:
  - No laptops/phones unless necessary
  - Everyone participates
  - No wrong answers
  - Focus on the business process

### 2. Event Discovery (45-60 minutes)
- Start with "What happens in this domain?"
- Let participants write domain events on orange stickies
- Place events on the timeline (left to right)
- Don't worry about order initially

### 3. Timeline Organization (30 minutes)
- Review all events as a group
- Organize events chronologically
- Identify missing events
- Group related events together

### 4. Adding Detail (60-90 minutes)
- Add commands (blue) that trigger events
- Identify external systems (pink)
- Mark problem areas (red)
- Add policies and reactions (purple)

### 5. Identifying Boundaries (45 minutes)
- Group related concepts
- Look for natural service boundaries
- Discuss integration points
- Identify aggregates (yellow)

## Common Challenges and Solutions

### Challenge: Dominant Participants
- Actively engage quieter participants
- Use round-robin techniques
- Split into smaller groups temporarily

### Challenge: Too Much Detail
- Keep focus on relevant abstraction level
- Park detailed discussions for later
- Use "parking lot" for important but off-topic items

### Challenge: Losing Focus
- Take regular breaks (10 minutes every hour)
- Use timeboxing for each activity
- Keep referring back to session goals

## Remote Facilitation Tips

When running remote Event Storming sessions:

- Use tools like Miro or Mural
- Pre-create templates and sticky note colors
- Use breakout rooms for small group discussions
- Schedule more frequent but shorter sessions
- Use video to maintain engagement

## Post-Session Activities

1. **Documentation**
   - Photograph or export the board
   - Capture key insights and decisions
   - Document identified bounded contexts

2. **Follow-up**
   - Schedule deep-dive sessions for specific areas
   - Create action items and assign owners
   - Plan next steps for implementation

3. **Review and Refine**
   - Review findings with stakeholders
   - Validate assumptions
   - Plan additional sessions if needed

## Measuring Success

A successful Event Storming session should:
- Create shared understanding
- Identify key domain events and processes
- Highlight potential problems and solutions
- Generate actionable next steps
- Engage all participants effectively

## Next Steps

Continue to [From Event Storming to Implementation](/docs/guides/event-storming/03-implementation) to learn how to turn your Event Storming insights into working software. 